Bahrain Championship - Final Discussion

[JiangYu]

I know it's 12 hours away but I wanted somewhere where we could talk about the upcoming match tomorrow. What are both Robertson and Stevens's chances tomorrow, do you think?

I was particularly drawn to this comment by Robertson:

"I've not seen Matthew play this week but I've heard he has been very solid. With more luck he could have been World Champion two or three times and he's still a world class player. But I've won both finals I've been in and he's lost a few".

I think he jinxed himself - fair point by him but Steven's has reached far more finals than Robertson has and therefore showcases that he is the all-round better player.

Go Stevens! He's in badly need of a ranking title after his huge slump in the ranking from the last two seasons. It's such a shame to see a class act of his standard so far down the rankings.

[MalJackson]

Final best of two sessions?

head to head?

[tomtomclub]

Robertson has the incentive of leapfrogging a few players in the rankings (including Williams, Ebdon & Ding) to go 12th if he wins today; he stops at 16th if he loses. If Stevens wins, he goes above Davis to 22nd, but is 23rd (depending on the Davis point allocation for this event) if he doesn't. Anyway, there's only 2 previous matches to go on....

Matthew Stevens v Neil Robertson: 2-0.....a 105 helped Stevens on the way to a 6-4 Northern Ireland Trophy win in 2005; Stevens won this (non ranking) event. He followed this up with a comprehensive 5-0 win in the last 32 of last seasons Shanghai Masters, a result which, bearing in mind the 2 had "swopped" top 16 places at the end of the previous season, promised so much for Stevens. However, he lost in the quarters and did no better than the last 32 in any other event that season, and finished 17th. Meanwhile Robertson did just about enough to stay top 10, although he had a relatively poor 2007-8.

Robertson has beaten all the top Welshmen: Day, Williams, Dale, Morgan...erm...Fenton....but never Stevens. He has won 11 of 18 career meetings with Welshmen.

Stevens holds a 3-2 record against Australians in his career, having beaten Stuart Lawler, and lost twice to Quinten Hann.

[JiangYu]

Robertson has the incentive of leapfrogging a few players in the rankings (including Williams, Ebdon & Ding) to go 12th if he wins today; he stops at 16th if he loses. If Stevens wins, he goes above Davis to 22nd, but is 23rd (depending on the Davis point allocation for this event) if he doesn't. Anyway, there's only 2 previous matches to go on....

Matthew Stevens v Neil Robertson: 2-0.....a 105 helped Stevens on the way to a 6-4 Northern Ireland Trophy win in 2005; Stevens won this (non ranking) event. He followed this up with a comprehensive 5-0 win in the last 32 of last seasons Shanghai Masters, a result which, bearing in mind the 2 had "swopped" top 16 places at the end of the previous season, promised so much for Stevens. However, he lost in the quarters and did no better than the last 32 in any other event that season, and finished 17th. Meanwhile Robertson did just about enough to stay top 10, although he had a relatively poor 2007-8.

Robertson has beaten all the top Welshmen: Day, Williams, Dale, Morgan...erm...Fenton....but never Stevens. He has won 11 of 18 career meetings with Welshmen.

Stevens holds a 3-2 record against Australians in his career, having beaten Stuart Lawler, and lost twice to Quinten Hann.

Thanks for the stat Tom, I'll be looking forward to the match this afternoon. Not long now!

[tomtomclub]

No problem. It's going to be excellent. Love Stevens to win but both would be deserved winners.

[JiangYu]

Stevens is not showing the standard he was last night with a miss on a black

[PaulTheSoave]

Normally neither of those 2 would have reached the final. ROS, higgins (best 2this season so far) and Selby would have beaten them convincingly. One could say if players dont compete, we have to deal with the players in the tournament. True. But it is not the players fault in this case, but The WSA who made a mockery of the schedule.

If one actually looks well into it, The WSA is guilty of influencing the outcome of the tournament and ranking point system in an unjustified way, even more as the dates of the PL were published well in advance before the date of the current tournament.

As usual ES are starting late again.

[Matt_2745]

3-0 Robertson at the moment, only just put it on though.

[tomtomclub]

Robertson is playing precociously good. 3 - 0 up and breaks of 129, 117 and 96.

His manner of play has a touch of fragile, poised genius about it, like a young pianist totally immersed in playing the piano.

[JiangYu]

Hello?

*Commentator picks up cell phone*

[Matt_2745]

Ooh that could be big, Robertson missing a tough red for 4-0 and Stevens just needs the colours to steal it back and keep himself in touch.

[Matt_2745]

3-1 it is.

[JiangYu]

Phew. I hope the tables can be turned around.

[very.tee]

Yeah, no one likes to see a whitewash in the final.

[PaulTheSoave]

Yes, could be big. Actually 2 tactical errors Neil made. He should have been on the pink or black, from the red before the one he missed. Matthew could only have equalled or needed one snooker. Also Neil played the red way too soft, playing it with more strength the red would have gone away from the pocket when missed. Sometimes dont understand the lack of tactical insight from some players.

Well, keeps the match alive at least

Ooh that could be big, Robertson missing a tough red for 4-0 and Stevens just needs the colours to steal it back and keep himself in touch.